It takes three ingredients, all already in the kitchen, and less than a minute to prepare. More and more people now mix baking soda with dish soap and sugar in a small bowl and use the paste on everything from the countertop to the pots. Here’s what it’s for, why it’s recommended and where not to use it.
What it’s for
The mix makes a soft cleaning paste for the kitchen. It’s mainly used on:
- Countertops, to remove grease film and dried spills.
- Pots and pans, especially stuck-on residue on the outside and the bottom.
- The cabinet under the sink, which collects drips and odors.
- Tiles and the backsplash, where cooking grease settles.
It can also be used in the bathroom, on the sink and tiles.
Why it works
Each ingredient has a job. Dish soap contains surfactants that break down grease and lift dirt. Baking soda is a mild alkaline powder that degreases, neutralizes odors and scrubs gently. Sugar adds a slight grit that helps scrub without scratching most surfaces. The result is a paste that clings where you put it, instead of running off like a spray.
Why so many people recommend it
First, the price: a batch costs a few cents, against several dollars for a bottle of kitchen spray. Then, the ingredients: there’s no strong smell, no harsh fumes and nothing you wouldn’t already have near food, which makes it popular for the areas where you cook. And it replaces several products at once, from the degreaser for the stovetop surround to the cream cleaner for the sink.
Some people add a few drops of essential oil for the scent. For hard water spots, white vinegar is sometimes suggested too, but keep it for a separate step: vinegar is an acid and baking soda is a base, so mixed together in the same bowl they simply cancel each other out.
How to make it
- In a small bowl, mix 2 tablespoons of liquid dish soap, 1 tablespoon of baking soda and 1 tablespoon of sugar.
- Stir until smooth. Too runny? Add a little baking soda. Too thick? A few drops of water.
- Apply with a damp sponge or soft brush, rub in small circles and let it sit for a few minutes on tough spots.
- Rinse with clean water and wipe dry. This step matters: sugar left on a surface turns sticky.
Make only what you need for one cleaning session: it costs a few cents, and a fresh batch works best.
The limit
It’s a gentle degreaser, not a disinfectant: for cutting boards that touched raw meat, follow food-safety advice with hot soapy water or a proper sanitizer. Be careful on delicate surfaces like untreated wood, polished marble or natural stone, and always test a hidden corner first. Don’t use it on non-stick coatings with an abrasive pad. And never mix homemade pastes with bleach or other cleaning products.
Baking soda has other well-known duos in the kitchen: coffee grounds and baking soda for a smelly sink, or hydrogen peroxide and baking soda for tougher stains.
Two tablespoons of soap, one of baking soda, one of sugar. That’s the trick.
